All this needle time, I'm getting to understand where I'm going? Originally I wanted 'pipe and slipper sound' from my system. The Ortofon is not P&S . . . however, a few tweaks moved the sound on to an acceptable level, by my standards. A few more tweaks showed me where I dont want I go
I got hold of an 'ISOweight' this morning, you know the sort of thing, a low hanging counter weight arrangement. Nothing lost, give it a try . . . after all, the **** postie got me out of bed to singe for it! Interesting, but I have thoughts on tidying the garden today, so it had to wait until later this afternoon.
I have seen all sorts of claims for these under slung weights, mine comes from a source that gives a 14 day money back G't if I dont like it for any reason, cant loose. The main claim to fame on these weights is the ability for the cartridge to track more accurately, as the center of gravity is closer to being in line with the stylus? yeah, ok . . . sceptics hat firmly in place!
Does it work, initial findings, yes, sort of? I was also trying the 'purist' arm blancing option suggested by Chebby. Not happy, back to basics and Regas balance method. So back to the ISOweight, better on simple music, like Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat, but complicated recordings were messy, for instance choir and organ in a church.
??? think, the ISOweight is supposed to help the cartridge track . . . 2gs? the demanding choir music sounded 'sat on and muddy' . . . reduce the tracking weight, once then twice, thats it, as close as I can tell, 1.8gs.
The ISOweight does work, but fathoming it, you are on your own, no instructions, zilch! Get the tracking weight right and the midrange opens like a flower, Jennifer Warnes has a slight vibrato to her voice, and inner mouth sounds can be heard quite clearly, there is a deeper and more informative sound stage. Base is tighter, dynamic, with a tactile feel to it, top end is sharper, rather more like an 2M Blue should sound may be, on the edge?
Dont get me wrong, the changes are subtle, not mind blowing, but they are there, small parts again, adding to 'the whole'. The 'pipe and slippers' is not gone, its been added to, so I cant criticise, I now know how much more is there, so, going back to P&S is not an option.
Where to now . . . ? Dynavector 10x5 or an Ortofon Black, the black is reputed to be top dog, taking on MC's around the price or a little more? Advantages, super smooooth presentation, big sound stage, even tighter base, and more detail than the Blue can ever think of . . . no need for a MC step up/phono stage. The Dynavector is perhaps the poor mans option, but will it suit the phono stage of my amplifier, and will it upset the musical apple cart?
Why not the 'OF Bronz' . . . its a Blue with knobs on, simply to bright and analytical for me I feel. I'm already on the edge of that, the way the system is sounding, more and more, closer and closer, almost over the edge. Almost but not quite, I'm still hanging on to its musicality, but I can see the holes . . . One must be careful to achieve a match when attempting to cover said holes.
Views on where one could look other than the options mentioned?
CJSF
I got hold of an 'ISOweight' this morning, you know the sort of thing, a low hanging counter weight arrangement. Nothing lost, give it a try . . . after all, the **** postie got me out of bed to singe for it! Interesting, but I have thoughts on tidying the garden today, so it had to wait until later this afternoon.
I have seen all sorts of claims for these under slung weights, mine comes from a source that gives a 14 day money back G't if I dont like it for any reason, cant loose. The main claim to fame on these weights is the ability for the cartridge to track more accurately, as the center of gravity is closer to being in line with the stylus? yeah, ok . . . sceptics hat firmly in place!
Does it work, initial findings, yes, sort of? I was also trying the 'purist' arm blancing option suggested by Chebby. Not happy, back to basics and Regas balance method. So back to the ISOweight, better on simple music, like Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat, but complicated recordings were messy, for instance choir and organ in a church.
??? think, the ISOweight is supposed to help the cartridge track . . . 2gs? the demanding choir music sounded 'sat on and muddy' . . . reduce the tracking weight, once then twice, thats it, as close as I can tell, 1.8gs.
The ISOweight does work, but fathoming it, you are on your own, no instructions, zilch! Get the tracking weight right and the midrange opens like a flower, Jennifer Warnes has a slight vibrato to her voice, and inner mouth sounds can be heard quite clearly, there is a deeper and more informative sound stage. Base is tighter, dynamic, with a tactile feel to it, top end is sharper, rather more like an 2M Blue should sound may be, on the edge?
Dont get me wrong, the changes are subtle, not mind blowing, but they are there, small parts again, adding to 'the whole'. The 'pipe and slippers' is not gone, its been added to, so I cant criticise, I now know how much more is there, so, going back to P&S is not an option.
Where to now . . . ? Dynavector 10x5 or an Ortofon Black, the black is reputed to be top dog, taking on MC's around the price or a little more? Advantages, super smooooth presentation, big sound stage, even tighter base, and more detail than the Blue can ever think of . . . no need for a MC step up/phono stage. The Dynavector is perhaps the poor mans option, but will it suit the phono stage of my amplifier, and will it upset the musical apple cart?
Why not the 'OF Bronz' . . . its a Blue with knobs on, simply to bright and analytical for me I feel. I'm already on the edge of that, the way the system is sounding, more and more, closer and closer, almost over the edge. Almost but not quite, I'm still hanging on to its musicality, but I can see the holes . . . One must be careful to achieve a match when attempting to cover said holes.
Views on where one could look other than the options mentioned?
CJSF